Screw and nut driver

ABSTRACT

A screw and nut driver including a housing mounting a gear train, a handle and a tool shank extending from opposite ends of the housing and respectively connected to the input and output of the gear train.

United States Patent 1 3,580,097

[72] inventor Leonard Van Dalen [56] References Cited Cherry Hill, NJ. UNITED STATES PATENTS g g gg f 1,395,876 11/1921 Tiencken 145/68 P f ted g 1971 1,799,393 4/1931 Rylander... 145/68 a to Inc 2,721,591 /1955 Criswell 145/66 I 1 2,756,792 7/1956 Hil'SChmal'l.... 74/421x Primary Examiner-Leonard l-l. Gerin [54] SCREWANDNUT DRIVER Attorney-Robert K. Youtie 9Claims,3Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 74/421, 145/66, 145/68 [51] lnLCl F16h l/20, ABSTRACT: A screw and nut driver including a housing I Bb 17/02 mounting a gear train, a handle and a tool shank extending Field of Search 74/421; from opposite ends of the housing and respectively connected /50, 66, 68 to the input and output of the gear train.

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SCREW AND NUT DRIVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While there have, in the past, been proposed a variety of geared drivers for screws, nuts and the like, these prior devices have not met with general acceptance and have been less than satisfactory for several reasons. In particular, prior geared drivers of the instant type have been relatively complex in structure, and consequently costly to manufacture and subject to frequent malfunction. Further, prior geared drivers have been lacking in sufficient versatility in-use to warrant the additional expense.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an important object of the present invention to provide a screw and nut driver of the type described which is extremely simple in construction and durable and reliable throughout a long useful life.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a manually actuable driver of the type described which is highly versatile in operation, being capable of a high speed operation and an intermediate speed operation, in addition to a conventional or 1:1 speed ratio.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a screw and nut driver having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs which is uniquely designed to permit of use in relatively inaccessible of restricted spaces.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, illustrating a screw and nut driver constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 ofFlG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 ofFlG. I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, a driver toolof the present invention is there generally designated 10, and includes an elongate rigid handle 11 having an enlarged grip part 12 at its outer end. Adjacent to the inner end of the handle is :1 casing or housingIS. That is, the handle 11 extends from one end of the housing'15.

Extending from the other end of the housing 15, in substantial alignment with the handle 11, is a shank 16, which may be provided with a chuck 17 removably carrying a bit 18 in its end remote from the shank 16.

The housing or casing may be generally cylindrical in configuration, including a main generally cylindrical section 20 which may be of an externally tapering configuration at 21 in the direction toward shank 16, terminating there in a reduced end 22. The main housing section 20 is provided interiorly with a generally cylindrical hollow or chamber 23; and, an end member or closure disc 24 is engaged over the housing end adjacent to handle 11 in closing relation with respect to the housing chamber 23.

Axially fixed to and extending from the handle 11 rotatably through the housing end wall 24 and into the housing chamber 23 is an input shaft 25. The input shaft 25 is joumaled in a bearing 26 disposed in a bore 27 formed through the housing end wall 24. A spur gear 28 is located within the housing chamber 23, being circumposed about and fixed to the input shaft 25, as by a collar 29 and suitable keying means. The gear 28 may be provided about its circumference with a total of 30 teeth, if desired, the teeth being beveled on their inner corners, as at 30, for a purpose appearing presently.

It will be observed that the handle 11 and its coaxial shaft 25 are located to one side of or eccentrically with respect to the axis of the generally cylindrical housing 15.

To the opposite side of the axis of housing 15 there is mounted therein a rotatable countershaft 35. That is, the countershaft 35 is disposed generally parallel to the input shaft 25, spaced on the opposite side of the housing axis as the input shaft. Further, the countershaft 35 extends through the housing chamber 23, being rotatably joumaled at its opposite ends in the housing closure 24, as by a journal bearing 36, and in the housing end 22, as by a journal bearing 37. The journal bearings 36 and 37 in the housing ends 24 and 22 may be of any suitable construction, such as lubricant impregnated porous metal, or other, and may carry both radial and end thrust, if desired. Circumposed about the countershaft 35 and in meshing engagement with the spur gear 28 is an additional spur gear 38, suitably fixed to the countershaft as by collar 39 and appropriate securement means. The spur gear 38 may have a circumferential array of 18 teeth for a speed increasing ratio of 1.67 for the set of meshing gears 28 and 38.

An additional spur gear 40 is circumposed about and suitably fixed to the countershaft 35 by the collar 41 and other suitable securing means in a position adjacent to the housing end 22. Y

The tool shank 16 may consist of a shaft or rod extending rotatably through the housing end 22, being rotatably supported therein by journal bearing 43 and entering into the housing chamber 23 in axial alignment with the input shaft 25. As will appear presently, the shank 16 constitutes an output shaft, being provided thereabout with a spur gear 44 suitably fixed to outputshaft, as by a collar 45 and other securement means, and in meshing engagement with the spur gear 40. The spur gear 44 may be provided with 18 teeth about its periphery in meshing engagement with the 30 teeth of the gear 40, so that the gears 40 and 44 constitute a meshing gear set having a speed increasing ratio of 1.67. However, the gear ratios may be otherwise, as desired.

The input shaft 25 and output shaft 16 are in the nature of stub shafts, each overhanging its journal bearing or support, and are advantageously provided at theirinner ends, interiorly of the chamber 23, with a bearing sleeve 46 rotatably circumposed about both of the adjacent ends of shafts 25 and 16. In this manner, alignment of the input and output shafts 25 and 16 is more effectively maintained, and the sleeve 46 may be provided with shoulders, or the like, to absorb end thrust, if desired. Also the bearings 26 and 43 may have their inner ends engageable with the gears 28 and 44 to resist end thrust thereof.

The housing closure or end member 24 may be detachably secured in its closing relation, as by a plurality of circumferentially spaced fasteners or cap screws 50.

Formed in the peripheral or sidewall of the housing 20, preferably proximate to the spur gear 28, there is provided a slot or slideway 51 extending longitudinally of the housing and opening radially through the housing wall. The slot has its radially outer portion circumferentially enlarged, as at 52 to define an external longitudinally extending groove opening radially outwardly of the housing. The groove 52 may be of dovetail cross section, if desired. Slidable in the housing slot 51, longitudinally of the housing is a slide member 53 which is provided with a tooth 54 projecting into the housing chamber 23 and extending longitudinally of the housing. The slide member 53 is slidable in the slot 51, and its tooth 54 is slidable with the slide member into and out of interfitting relation with respectto an adjacent pair of teeth of spur gear 28. It will be observed that the tooth 54 of the slide member 53 is beveled, and may have a sharpened edge as at 55, adjacent to the spur gear 28 to facilitate its entry between a pair of teeth of the latter. In this manner, the slide member 53 and its tooth 54 serve to effectively lock the entire train of gears 28, 38, 40 and 44.

On the other side of the slide member 53, there is provided an enlarged portion or head 56 slidable in the enlarged groove 52. As best seen in FIG. 3, the external groove 52 may have undercut sides, say in dovetail fashion, and the enlarged head 56 may conformably slide in the groove 52 to be positively retained therein while constrained to its longitudinal sliding movement. ln addition, an actuating member, protrusion or button 57 may project radially outwardly from the head 56, enabling ready manual manipulation of the slide member. It will therefore be appreciated that the slide member 53, together with its tooth 54, head 56 and button 57 serve to provide a locking dog for quickly and easily effecting positive locking of the gear 28 and its associated train. Similarly, the locking dog 53, 54, 56 and 57 is slidable to its retracted position, as shown in FIG. 1, to permit of free gear train rotation. Suitable means, such as frictional holding or spring biasing may retain the locking dog in a selected position of movement.

When the adjacent corners of the dog tooth 54 and teeth of gear 28 have been illustrated as beveled, as at 55 and 30, respectively, it is further understood that the beveled edge may be relatively sharp or tapered to further facilitate interengagement therebetween without stripping or other damage to the teeth.

In operation, a user may manually grasp the housing with one hand and the handle 11 with the other, holding the housing against rotation and effecting axial rotation of the handle. By this operation power is transmitted from the handle 11 through input shaft to countershaft and thence to output shaft 16. By the pair of increasing sets of meshing gears, the output speed is amplified by a ratio of 2.78. Of course, other gears having different numbers of teeth may be employed to achieve different output speeds, if desired.

An intermediate output speed ratio is achieved by holding of the handle 11 against rotation, and effecting rotation of the housing 15 about the aligned axes of shafts 25 and 16. The increasing speed ratio by this mode of operation is 1.67.

Of course, a lzl ratio is achieved with the gears locked, as by shifting the dog tooth 54 rightward in FIG. 1 into locking engagement with the teeth of gear 28.

In the first described mode of operation for maximum output speed, it will be apparent that the housing 15 remains relatively fixed, only the handle 11 and shaft 16 rotating. In this condition, it will be seen that the output shank 16, its chuck l7 and tool 18 may be engaged in limited quarters, as by the offset relation with respect to the housing 15, which is unobtaina ble with other geared drivers. From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a screw and nut driver which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

lclaim:

1. A screw and nut driver comprising a generally cylindrical housing, a pair of axially aligned separately rotatable gears mounted in said housing parallel to and offset in one direction form the housing axis, a rotary countershaft mounted in said housing parallel to and ofiset in the other direction form the housing axis, intermediate gearing means on said countershaft and meshing with said gears, a handle extending from one end of said housing and connected in axially aligned driving relation with one of said gears for rotation relative to said housing, and a tool shank extending from the other end of said housing and connected in axially aligned driven relation with the other of said gears for rotation relative to said housing, said shank being adapted to carry a driver tool.

2. A screw and nut driver according to claim 1, said handle and shank extending in alignment with each other from said housing ends adjacent to one side of said housing, to facilitate tool engagement in restricted spaces.

3. A screw and nut driver according to claim 1, in combination with a locking dog mounted on said housing for selective movement into and out of locking engagement with said gear train, whereby said housing, handle and shank are selectively rotatable as a unit.

4. A screw and nut driver comprising a housing, a gear train mounted in said housing, a handle extending from one end of said housing and connected in driving relation with said gear train for rotation relative to said housing, a tool shank extending from the other end of said housing and connected in driven relation with said gear train for rotation relative to said housing, said shank being adapted to carry a driver tool, and a locking dog mounted on said housing for selective movement into and out of locking engagement with said gear train for selective rotation of said housing, handle and shank as a unit, said locking dog comprising a slide member mounted in a wall of said housing, actuating means on said slide member exteriorly of said housing for manually effecting sliding movement of said slide member, and a tooth on said slide member interiorly of said housing and movable with said slide member into and out of engagement between an adjacent pair of teeth of a gear of said train.

5. A screw and nut driver according to claim 4, said slide member being slidable along the axis of said gear, and said tooth being beveled to facilitate engagement between the gear teeth.

6. A screw and nut driver according to claim 4, said gear train comprising at least a pair of meshing gear sets, and said handle and shank being coaxially rotatable relative to said housing, whereby said housing is rotatable about the aligned axes of said shank and handle with the latter held fixed to effect axial rotation of said shank.

7. A screw and nut driver according to claim 6, said meshing gear sets each having an increasing speed ratio, so that a maximum shank speed increase results from holding said housing fixed and rotating said handle, and an intermediate shank speed increase results from holding said handle fixed and rotating said housing.

8. A screw and nut driver according to claim 4, said gear train comprising an input shaft journaled in said one housing end and fixed to said handle, an output shaft joumaled in said other housing end in alignment with said input shaft and fixed to said shank, a countershaft joumaled in said housing generally parallel to said input and output shafts, a meshing pair of input gears on said input and counter shafts, and a meshing pair of output gears on said counter and output shafts.

9. A screw and nut driver according to claim 8, in combination with a sleeve slidably circumposed about the inner ends of said input and output shafts to maintain alignment thereof. 

1. A screw and nut drivEr comprising a generally cylindrical housing, a pair of axially aligned separately rotatable gears mounted in said housing parallel to and offset in one direction form the housing axis, a rotary countershaft mounted in said housing parallel to and offset in the other direction form the housing axis, intermediate gearing means on said countershaft and meshing with said gears, a handle extending from one end of said housing and connected in axially aligned driving relation with one of said gears for rotation relative to said housing, and a tool shank extending from the other end of said housing and connected in axially aligned driven relation with the other of said gears for rotation relative to said housing, said shank being adapted to carry a driver tool.
 2. A screw and nut driver according to claim 1, said handle and shank extending in alignment with each other from said housing ends adjacent to one side of said housing, to facilitate tool engagement in restricted spaces.
 3. A screw and nut driver according to claim 1, in combination with a locking dog mounted on said housing for selective movement into and out of locking engagement with said gear train, whereby said housing, handle and shank are selectively rotatable as a unit.
 4. A screw and nut driver comprising a housing, a gear train mounted in said housing, a handle extending from one end of said housing and connected in driving relation with said gear train for rotation relative to said housing, a tool shank extending from the other end of said housing and connected in driven relation with said gear train for rotation relative to said housing, said shank being adapted to carry a driver tool, and a locking dog mounted on said housing for selective movement into and out of locking engagement with said gear train for selective rotation of said housing, handle and shank as a unit, said locking dog comprising a slide member mounted in a wall of said housing, actuating means on said slide member exteriorly of said housing for manually effecting sliding movement of said slide member, and a tooth on said slide member interiorly of said housing and movable with said slide member into and out of engagement between an adjacent pair of teeth of a gear of said train.
 5. A screw and nut driver according to claim 4, said slide member being slidable along the axis of said gear, and said tooth being beveled to facilitate engagement between the gear teeth.
 6. A screw and nut driver according to claim 4, said gear train comprising at least a pair of meshing gear sets, and said handle and shank being coaxially rotatable relative to said housing, whereby said housing is rotatable about the aligned axes of said shank and handle with the latter held fixed to effect axial rotation of said shank.
 7. A screw and nut driver according to claim 6, said meshing gear sets each having an increasing speed ratio, so that a maximum shank speed increase results from holding said housing fixed and rotating said handle, and an intermediate shank speed increase results from holding said handle fixed and rotating said housing.
 8. A screw and nut driver according to claim 4, said gear train comprising an input shaft journaled in said one housing end and fixed to said handle, an output shaft journaled in said other housing end in alignment with said input shaft and fixed to said shank, a countershaft journaled in said housing generally parallel to said input and output shafts, a meshing pair of input gears on said input and counter shafts, and a meshing pair of output gears on said counter and output shafts.
 9. A screw and nut driver according to claim 8, in combination with a sleeve slidably circumposed about the inner ends of said input and output shafts to maintain alignment thereof. 